𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬

THIRTY-ONE: huge fuck up.

DESPITE BEING REASSURED he can talk to them, when they sat down to talk at the dining table, James was unsure how to go about it as he sips the matcha tea his mother had made for him, glancing between two who are waiting patiently with content smiles.

"Promise not to get mad?" He asked and Jim tilts his head. "Promise it's not a pregnant girl?" He says and James fights the urge to roll his eyes as he glanced down. "You know, uh, Eddie, right?" He asked and Jim nods, glancing to his woman at his side. "Long haired kid, always had the painted nails, those shirts with bands from like when I was a teen, oh, and had the worst potty mouth and no respect for adults? That kid? Very memorable, yeah." Jim said as he nodded and James just smiles.

"Well, surprise, he was my boyfriend... in high school." He explains and Jim just blankly stared at his son. "Sor--" "no, it's fine..." James glanced down then let out a soft sigh. "Well, Eddie and I sort of got back together." He said as he glanced up at his parents. "Okay... that's so great, honey." Joyce is smiling but he's unsure what that look on his dad's is as he glanced back down, pursing his lips.

"Is there more to it than that, James? Come on, I know you." The first James sat up, staring at his son as he tilts his head and the Junior glanced up, sighing quietly. "Well... I--I don't know, I feel like it's not the same, you know, I--I tried, my best... like I always do, but the spark... feels dull." He said quietly and Joyce frowns at that. "What do you mean?"

At that question, he glanced up. "I've always been in love with Eddie, I know that deep down in my heart, it's always been him. But, it--it should just remain that way, right? The red string, you guys know it, shit, you guys have it... Jon and Argyle have it, I know so many people who do, but that's simply not me and Eddie. We make sense, we pair well together, but that--that isn't enough." He said quietly and felt his throat close up while talking.

"What are you saying, Jamie?" Joyce asked with concern for her son who glanced up. "Is it, like, possible to love two people at once?" He asked quietly and Jim sighs, slowly sitting up straight. "Well, you... know, if you love two people at the same time, choose the second one. Because if you really loved the first one, you wouldn't have fallen for the second one." He said and James just stared at his father.

"Oh..." He said quietly before looking down. "I do love Eddie." He suddenly defends himself, unsure why and Jim nods. "Yeah, no, I'm not saying that." He says and James glanced down. "I'm also unsure if I love this other person... it's someone that I shouldn't even love, and I--I think people I care about would hate me if I did." He said as he looked down and Joyce reached over, cupping his face in her tiny hands. "And who could possibly ever hate you? You're the best boy!" She says.

She never fails to bring a smile to James' face anytime he felt troubled with stuff, as he chuckles softly. "Well, you and Will and Jonathan." She adds quickly and then smiled brightly again. "I think if the people you care about love and care for you just as much as you do for them, they would put your happiness first. Because this seems to be troubling you a lot..." She added on.

"Yeah... sort of." James whispered then sighed, covering his face. "Why is adulthood like this?" He asked making his parents chuckle at him. "Well, we are always here to help." Jim says and James nods softly, smiling. "Thanks, you guys." He says quietly to the pair.

Later that night for Rhys, he was just staring up at the ceiling and couldn't sleep, it's nearly midnight and he still couldn't sleep. Then a knock came at the door and he slowly sat up. "Yeah?" He calls out and the door slowly opens to Eddie, his hair was all messy looking and he looks tired. "I can't sleep. Can I just sleep in here?" He asked a bit shyly.

"Yeah, come on..." Rhys made space on his bed and Eddie came over to climb under the sheets next to him. "Hey, Rhys?" He moves to face the other who hums, looking at him. "Don't... don't fall back into your old habits because of me. I--I never meant to hurt you." He said and Rhys just glanced away.

"I guess I underestimated my feelings for you." The blond says quietly before glancing to the other side opposite of where Eddie was laying by him. "I don't know, I'll be fine. I always find a way to become clean." He says quietly and the brunette moves to lay on his side. "I'm just one huge fuck up, aren't I?" He whispers and Rhys moves to lay on his side, facing the Munson. "What do you mean?" The blond asked and the other just sighs, shrugging.

"I--I said I was still in love with James, I got back with him, but it--it's, like-- I don't know, it's like everytime I'm around you, or hanging out with you, it proves I was wrong." He says and Rhys just stared at him, furrowing his brows. "I fucked up, didn't I? I fucked up so bad." Tears once again well in Eddie's eyes and Rhys sighs. "No. You didn't... you were right, I was being petty. You look, like, happy, really happy with James, I was just fucking with you as payback. You love each other, right? And plus you two make a good pair." He tells the Munson who sniffs, wiping away his tears.

"You really think so?" He asked quietly and Rhys nods. "Yeah. You two will be fine, okay?" He says, smiling and Eddie sighs. "Okay." He mumbled, closing his eyes as he moves to lay onto his back. Rhys followed his actions and it wasn't long until the two fell asleep.

The next day when James and Eddie saw each other, they originally had plans to... break up with the other and it would've worked out, a clean, nice break up with mutual feelings of it being good for them. But when they saw each other, James had a smile on his face that made Eddie swoon and smile back. And that usual Munson grin always had James smiling even more as he approached his lover, meeting him halfway where they wrap their arms around one another and then they kissed.

James deepens their kiss, one hand on the back of Eddie's neck as one arm is around Eddie's waist and Eddie pulls him closer, before leaning away from their kiss. "Did you have fun with Steve yesterday?" He asks and he sounds full of jealousy so James smiled widely. "Not as much fun as I have with you everyday." He says, closing the gap between them again to press another loving kiss to Eddie's lips. Eddie pulls back, smiling, "wanna go and watch a movie while we cuddle?"

"You know I never say no to you..."

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

authors note
i wish my dad pulled out